Jefferies Orchard is located approximately five miles north of Springfield, Illinois (three miles north of Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport) just off Route 29.  We are open daily from approximately late April to mid-November with fresh seasonal produce.  Call ahead to check what's in season.

Our farm and market are still owned by the Jefferies Family.  We've been growing fresh produce for over 75 years (and farming for over 150)!  We specialize in produce picked in season.  We grow real food for real people.

Quality comes first, and for those of you who've been enjoying our seasonal crops for generations, you know there's nothing better than truly fresh asparagus or tomatoes, and peaches that have been picked at the peak of ripeness.  You know there's something special about having to "go outside or stand over the sink" to eat a tomato or a peach because they're so juicy.  But we also do our best to keep prices as reasonable as possible.  And, whenever possible we share our bounty in many ways, including special deals on canning tomatoes, or quantity discounts on apples and other produce when possible.

We're so fortunate to have a beautiful location near the Sangamon River that has been in the family for seven generations (see Family History below).  Which means that we don't need to travel to the local farmers' markets for our neighbors to enjoy our wonderful produce.  We hope you'll make the short, scenic trip to our country store, and we look forward to seeing you.

FAMILY HISTORY:  

Elias Jefferies came to Sangamon County Illinois in 1819 from Ross, Ohio.  His son, Robert Jefferies, was born in 1836.  On March 9, 1858, Robert bought 40 acres for $1,000 total.   On June 30, 1866, Robert bought adjoining 40 acres for $700 total.  Robert died in 1904, leaving the land to his brother George.  In 1916, George passed the land to his nephew, John Jefferies, who later passed the farm to his son Albert Jefferies Sr.  Albert Sr. died unexpectedly at a young age and the farm was passed to his wife Helena.  Helena’s grandson Dale Jefferies Sr. purchased 60 acres of the farm in 2007.

Originally, the Jefferies family grew wheat, oats and grass hay which was sold to livery stables in Springfield, Illinois.  Albert Sr. started with bees and added apples, cider, peaches, and asparagus, in the early 1920s.  Albert Jr. added strawberries in 1938 (one of the earliest instances of u-pick strawberries in Illinois that we are aware of) along with vegetables and increased cider making in 1954 with a new cider mill. 

Dale Jefferies Sr. and his family still farm the same land and have added acreage.  The family still raises fruit and vegetables and still makes cider on the same 1954 cider mill.